Dawson - New Mexico Ghost Town

DAWSON

NAME: Golden
COUNTY: Colfax
ROADS: 2WD
GRID #(see map): 2
CLIMATE: Cool winter possible snow, warm summer
BEST TIME TO VISIT:Anytime

COMMENTS: The cemetery is a must see. In 1912, the Dawson Stags were a professional minor league baseball team, that played in the short-lived Rocky Mountain League. (There is already a reference to the baseball park, in the existing article about Dawson, and this can be added there.)
REMAINS: Mainly the cemetery

In 1901 the Dawson coal mine opened and a railroad was constructed from Dawson to Tucumcari and the town was born. Then in 1906, the Phelps Dodge company bought the mine and increased development. Dawson went on to have its own newspaper, the Dawson News, a theater, hotel, modern homes, hospital, baseball park, golf course, bowling alley and more. Dawson's high school basketball and football teams went on to win many awards. Then disaster struck, not once, but twice. On October 22, 1913 at 3:10 P.M., an explosion in the mine killed 263 minors plus two rescuers. Then on February 8, 1923 at 2 P.M., another explosion killed 120 men. Surprisingly though, the town didn't die, but rather went on until the mine was closed down in 1950. When the mine closed, Phelps Dodge sold the whole town, buildings and all, to be carried off to other locations. Today, the cemetery is the main thing to see at Dawson. Dawson Cemetery Courtesy Dolores Steele Dawson Courtesy J Whitson Dawson Courtesy J Whitson Dawson Courtesy J Whitson Dawson Courtesy J Whitson Dawson Courtesy J Whitson Dawson Courtesy J Whitson Dawson Courtesy J Whitson Dawson Courtesy J Whitson Dawson Courtesy J Whitson Dawson Courtesy J Whitson Dawson Courtesy J Whitson Dawson Courtesy J Whitson Dawson Courtesy J Whitson	Dawson Coal Washer, Circa 1925 Courtesy Museum of New Mexico Marker - 1901 to 1922 Courtesy Dolores Steele Dawson Courtesy Samuel W. McWhorter Dawson Courtesy Samuel W. McWhorter Dawson Courtesy J Whitson Dawson Courtesy J Whitson Dawson Courtesy J Whitson Dawson Courtesy J Whitson Dawson Courtesy J Whitson Dawson Courtesy J Whitson Dawson Courtesy J Whitson Dawson Courtesy J Whitson Dawson Courtesy J Whitson Dawson Courtesy J Whitson Dawson Courtesy J Whitson Dawson Courtesy J Whitson

In 1901 the Dawson coal mine opened and a railroad was constructed from Dawson to Tucumcari and the town was born. Then in 1906, the Phelps Dodge company bought the mine and increased development. Dawson went on to have its own newspaper, the Dawson News, a theater, hotel, modern homes, hospital, baseball park, golf course, bowling alley and more. Dawson's high school basketball and football teams went on to win many awards. Then disaster struck, not once, but twice. On October 22, 1913 at 3:10 P.M., an explosion in the mine killed 263 minors plus two rescuers. Then on February 8, 1923 at 2 P.M., another explosion killed 120 men. Surprisingly though, the town didn't die, but rather went on until the mine was closed down in 1950. When the mine closed, Phelps Dodge sold the whole town, buildings and all, to be carried off to other locations. Today, the cemetery is the main thing to see at Dawson.

Dawson Cemetery
Courtesy Dolores Steele